Jeff Gordon scares the hell out of an auto blogger in the name of Pepsi MAX

It’s payback time, baby!

Pepsi MAX brought on Jeff Gordon last year as a spokesperson, and they coordinated a prank on a car salesman wherein Gordon takes a car for a wild test drive and terrifies the salesman.

In response, a handful of bloggers claimed it was a fake, and to prove that they were real, Pepsi decided to prank one of the automotive journalists who questioned the authenticity of the original “Test Drive.”

In the video above, Gordon and Co. pick up the critic, Travis Okulski, and with the help of a friend, orchestrate a prank of epic proportions, and while it is a blatant advertisement for Pepsi MAX (which no one is hiding), the world can’t help but to laugh at this sweet revenge.

Our favorite part is when Okulski tries to kick in the glass (we replayed that part about 20 times here), followed by his calmly telling his buddy (Gordon’s partner in crime), “I don’t care for you.”

Why any of this even matters to you

Pepsi MAX didn’t put out a web video that listed the top three benefits of drinking their product, nor did they simply show bubbles and corn syrup, no, they coordinated something memorable, and while it has nothing to do with soda, their brand is woven throughout the entire video.

Brands are getting more and more creative with marketing stunts, and even small businesses can get in on the game without having to hire a celebrity. Now, don’t get any ideas to go do the Harlem Shake, but consider ways to be memorable, be it through a stunt, a filmed choreographed prank, humor, or maybe even something heartfelt. Any budget can be memorable and become viral, and Pepsi MAX is showing one of the possible routes you can take with your campaigns by calling out a hater and converting them with a heavy dose of adrenaline.

Meanwhile, watch that dude become almost fetal in fear. Pretty funny stuff.

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Marti Trewe reports on business and technology news, chasing his passion for helping entrepreneurs and small businesses to stay well informed in the fast paced 140-character world. Marti rarely sleeps and thrives on reader news tips, especially about startups and big moves in leadership.